Refrigerated display case



April 6, 1948. c. F. HOFFMAN 2,438,972

REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed June 9, 1944 nu H 'j l 4 H 30 7/ I in g5 --28 25 26 I a n 1-? L? E; m i:

1 T I I ll all T T3 Hi: H A :5 P 2 INVENTOR.

F g E. cwws/ HOFFMAN ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 6, 1948 2,438,972 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Cyrus F. Hoffman, Trenton, N. 1., asslgnor to Bill & Company, corporation of New Je Ina, Trenton, N. J., a racy Application June 9, 1944, Serial No. 539,581

My invention relates to display cases and par,- ticularly to refrigerated cases for use in self-service stores.

Refrigerated display cases as heretofore constructed have not been designed for use in the modern self-service stores and therefore have usually been provided with a window inthe front of the case through which the articles within the display space can be seen by the customer, whereas access to the interior of the case has only been possible through doors located at the rear of the case for use by a clerk. Cases of this type are not adapted for use in self-service stores wherein the articles on the case by the customer and therefore must not only be seen but also be accessible from the front of the case. On the other hand, when perishable articles are on display, it is important that the case be provided with suitably insulated doors which are frequently heavy and diificult to operate and sometimes tend to stick or freeze when the case is operated at the low temperatures used to preserve frozen foods and the like. Moreover, it is important that the products be suitably illuminated in order that they may attract the attention of the customer and have the necessary appeal to insure purchase thereof.

So far as -I am aware no self-service display cases of the prior art have furnished the necessary illumination and ease of access, while insuring proper insulation and protection of the goods to permit both display and self service of frozen fruits and vegetables or other products which are maintained at relatively low temperatures.

In accordance with the present invention difficulties and objections to constructions of the prior art are overcome and a. refrigerated display case provided which may be used in selfservice stores for the display of articles, and particularly frozen fruit, vegetables, meat, and the like, while permitting ready access thereto by the customer. These advantages are preferably attained by providing a refrigerated display case with a novel type of door and mounting means therefor, together with novel means for illuminating the interior of the case. In accordance with the present invention, the illuminating means preferably serve also to prevent frosting or freezing of the adjacent surfaces of the door and case so that sticking of the door is prevented.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel type of refrigerated display case display are removed from 3 Claims. (01. ail-40.5)

2 having a door with illuminating means carried thereby.

Another object of my invention is to provide a refrigerated display case with a door which is supported and moved in a novel manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of refrigerated display case adapted for use in self-service stores to provide for both v storage and display of frozen foods.

These and other objects and features of my inventlon will appear in the following description thereof in which references are made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of preferred form ofrefrigerated display case embodying my invention, and showing the upper portion thereof, and

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation of the display case illustrated in Fig. l

In that form of my invention chosen for purposes of illustration in the drawing the display case is provided with an insulating front wall 2, a rear wall 4 and an overhanging top portion 6. The case is further walls =8, which cooperate with the walls 2, 4, and 6 to provide a refrigerated storage space ID.

The front edge I2 of the overhanging portion 6 of the top ofthe case is spaced from the in clined portion M at the upper edge of the front wall 2 to provide an opening through which the articles on display may be seen and made acce's sible to the purchasers. A door indicated genorally at i6 serves to close this opening but is provided with multiple panes of glass IS with dead air spaces between the panes to provide the necessary insulation and prevent'the flow of heat into the refrigerated space. A second glass pane 20 is spaced from the multiple panes l8 andcooperates therewith to provide a second dead air space 22 withinwhich a lamp 24 is located.

In actual practice I have found it desirable to use a lamp 24 in the form of a gas-filled, elongated tube, and have mounted the electrical starter 28 and electrical ballast 30 customarily used with gas-filled lamps so that they lie in the end member 32 of the door. The lamp 24 itself is located near the front lower edge of the door, and extends parallel to the longitudinal member 34 to which the handles 36 are secured for moving the door.

A light shield and reflector 26 is mounted in the space 22 so as to direct light from the lamp 24 into the storage space Ill to illuminate the goods and at the same time prevent light from provided with insulating end 3 the lamp from passing outward so as to shine into the customers eyes and interfere with their view of the articles on display.

with this construction the heat generated by the electrical ballast 30 serves to raise the temperature of the air in the space 22 sufficiently to prevent fogging of the outer glass pane 20, whereas the mutliple glass panes l8 serve to prevent substantial leakage of heat from the space 22 inward through the door into the refrigerated space it. In this way the articles 'on display may be clearly observed, whereas a condensation of moisture and forming of the glass panes through which the articles are viewed, is positively prevented. The heating of the air within the chamber 22 further serves to raise the temperature of the door [6 throughout those portions thereof which engage the sealing strips 38 located on the surface 14 of the front wall 2, and adjacent the front edge I2 of the top 6 of the case. Condensation of moisture between the sealing means 36 and the door l6 therefore is largely prevented, and freezing of such moisture, which might cause the door to stick, is prevented.

The means by which the door is mounted and the direction and manner of its movement to provide' access to the interior of the case may be varied considerably. However, as illustrated in Fig. 1, I prefer to mount the door for pivotal movement, so that it can swing upwardly and inwardly from the full-line position to the dottedline position shown. For this purpose the end members 32 of the door l6 and the outer glass 'panel 20 are provided with a curved or arcuate shape conforming generally to the path of movement of the edge of the door about the pivot on which it is mounted. However, as shown, the pivot 40 is located slightly below the center of curvature 42 of the outer glass pane 20 and of the end members 32 of the door. By so locating the pivot about which the door 16 moves, the door is lowered away from the sealing strip 38 on the front edge l2 of the top of the case as it is moved inwardly and rearwardly in opening the door. The end members 32 of the door and the outer glass pane 20, therefore, do not scrape or 4 of its extreme positions. Thus, the spring member 56 is moved from the dotted-line position to the full-line position of Fig. 1 when the door is closed, and this spring in conjunction with the shock absorber 48 serves to cause the door to move smoothly and relatively slowly into its fully closed position. On the other hand, the spring 58 is positioned so as to be engaged by the arm 54 when the door is opened and moved to its dotted-line position so as to flex the spring 58 and move it from the full-line position of Fig. 1

vto the dotted-line position therein. The center of gravity of the door is so located with respect to the pivot 40 that the door will tend to remain in either a fully opened or a fully closed position. However, the springs 56 and 53 aid in promoting the initial movement of the door from either a fully opened or a fully closed position, and thus render the door easy to operate even though it may be relatively heavy in construction.

The electrical connections for supplying the current to energize the lamp starter and the electrical ballast are shown at 60 and preferably are carried by the arm 54 and connected thereto at a point near the pivot 40. With this construction the supply of current to the lamp 24 is effected without complications. or interference with the means provided for supporting and moving the door.

While I prefer to mount the door for pivotal movement, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the important features of my invention may be embodied in refrigerated display cases provided with doors which are mounted or movable in various other ways and used in combination with other forms and styles of display and refrigerated cases.

rub against the sealing strip 38 as the door is This construction and arrangement of the door and the illuminating means is such that the light servesto illuminate the interior of the case at all times and when the door is in either opened or closed position. Furthermore, the light shield .or reflector 26 and the member 34 of the door serve to prevent light from the lamp 24 from passing outward through the window to the customers eyes therefore the articles on display are presented in an attractive manner.

Further, in operating the door I prefer to provide shock absorbing or cushioning means such as the pneumatic tube 46, which is pivotally mounted at 48 on the inclined surface M of the front wall of the case, and is provided with a piston and piston-rod 50 pivotally connected at 52 to the supporting member 54 which carries the door in its pivotal movement from closed to open position. I also prefer to providespring members 56 and 58 arranged so as to be alternately flexed and tensioned when the door is moved to either Thus, for example, the characteristic arrangement and relation of the illuminating means and mounting means for the door, may also be utililized in constructions which are not of the refrigerated type, or which are not necessarily insulated. Nevertheless, as pointed out above, the

major advantages of my invention render it possible to avoid fogging and sticking of doors used in refrigerated display cases and particularly display cases designed for use in self-service stores.

In view thereof, it will be understood that numef-- ous changes and modifications may be made in the form construction and arrangement of elements and devices embodying myinvention, and

' therefore, the forms thereof shown in the drawings and described above, are intended to be illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerated display case having an opening inthe front thereof to provide access to the interior of the case, a door movable into and out of position to close said opening, a window in said door through which articles in the interior of said case may be viewed, said window embodying multiple glass panes carried by the door and located adjacent the interior of the case, a pane of glass spaced from said multiple glass panes and cooperating therewith to form a dead air space and illuminating means carried by the door and located in said dead air space adjacent an edge of the door to illuminate the interior of the case and heat said edge of the door and the air in said dead air space whereby freezing and sticking of the door and fogging of said window are prevented.

2. A refrigerated display case having an opening in the front thereof to provide access to the interior of the case, a door movable into and out of position to close said opening, a window in said door through which articles in the interior of said case may be viewed, pivot means about which said door is movable into and out of position to close said opening, said door presenting an outer surface in the form of an are about a center located above said pivot means whereby movement of the door to provide access to the interior of the case will cause the upper edge of the door to move away from the adjacent surfaces of the case, said window embodying multiple glass panes carried by the door and located adjacent the interior of the case, a pane of glass spaced from said multiple glass panes and cooperating therewith to form a dead air space and illuminating means carried by the door and located in said dead air space adjacent the lower edge of the door to illuminate the interior of the case and heat said edge of the door and the air in said dead air space whereby freezing and stick- 1 ing of the door and fogging of said window are prevented.

3. A refrigerated display case having an access opening therein, a door for closing said opening,

a group of multiple glass panes carried by said door for reducing the flow of heat therethrough and illuminating means also carried by said door v6 and located onthe exterior of panes, and another pane of glass carried1 by said door and spaced from said multiple glass panes and extending over said illuminating means.

, CYRUS F. HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,187,551 Reiss June .20, 1916 1,285,114 Gamache Nov. 19, 1918 1,757,718 Kaufimann May 6, 1930 1,800,519 Fredberg Apr. 14, 1931 1,915,704 Warren June 27, 1933 1,960,696 Cawley May 29, 1934 2,201,696 Lucas May 21', 1940 2,225,655 Ottenheimer Dec. 24, 1940 2,375,369 Knight May 8, 1945 2,383,169 Slicer Aug. 21, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Sept. 18, 1931 said multiple glass 

